National Scientific Council Research Articles

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Protective Factors, and Childhood Obesity: Comparing the Effectiveness of Three Resilience Frameworks

Abstract While rates of childhood obesity continue to rise in the United States, multiple studies have linked childhood obesity to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs researchers have begun to develop frameworks that identify protective factors that build resilience against ACEs. However, these frameworks have a limited evidence base. Utilizing data from the 2018–2020 National Survey of Children’s Health, this study compared the effectiveness of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC), Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE), and cumulative positive childhood experiences (PCEs) frameworks in mitigating the impact of ACEs on childhood obesity. Based on hierarchical logistic regression conducted on data from 46,672 children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old, this study found that both the NSCDC and HOPE frameworks were associated with childhood obesity, with each framework explaining a similar amount of variance in childhood obesity across analyses. The cumulative PCEs framework did not strengthen the association between either framework and childhood obesity. Across analyses, strong self-regulation, mastery/after-school activities, and living in a supportive neighborhood had the strongest association with childhood obesity. The findings suggest that the most salient protective factors may be those most closely associated with the direct causes of childhood obesity, with the need to identify factors across ecological levels. Future research is needed to validate these frameworks further and explore these frameworks with other outcomes. The findings have important implications for future ACEs research and ACEs interventions. Public Relevance By understanding which resilience frameworks and protective factors have the strongest relationship with childhood obesity among children who experienced ACEs, interventions can potentially be developed using these findings to mitigate the harmful impact of ACEs on childhood obesity. Key Findings This study found that the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC) and Health Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) frameworks were associated with childhood obesity after controlling for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in a sample of children between the ages of 10 and 17 years old. The strongest protective factors against childhood obesity were strong self-regulation, mastery/after-school activities, and living in a supportive neighborhood. Given the relationship between these protective factors along with several covariates in the study with childhood obesity, future ACEs interventions should potentially target these protective factors and other social determinants of health to reduce the negative impact of ACEs on childhood obesity.

Exploring the Relationship Between Modifiable Protective Factors and Mental Health Issues Among Children Experiencing Adverse Childhood Experiences Using a Resilience Framework.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child (NSCDC) resilience framework statistically predicted whether a child with 4 or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) ever had a mental health issue. The study also explored which NSCDC modifiable resilience factors had the strongest relationship with mental health issues among children with 4 or more ACEs. Utilizing the 2019 National Survey of Children's Health, secondary data analysis was conducted using a sample of 1,225 children between 6 and 17years old that had experienced 4 or more ACEs. Logistic regression examined whether the NSCDC framework was associated with a lower likelihood of mental health issues in school-aged children. Analysis found that the NSCDC framework predicted whether children with 4 or more ACEs ever had a mental health issue. Self-regulation had the strongest relationship with whether a child with 4 or more ACEs ever had a mental health issue. A supportive parent/caregiver relationship was also associated with a lower likelihood of ever having a mental health issue. The results demonstrate the promise of the NSCDC framework and modifiable protective factors to mitigate the impact of ACEs on mental health outcomes. Interventions that teach children skill-based self-regulation and parent/caregiver co-regulation while providing safe and supportive environments can build self-regulation to overcome ACEs. Promoting resilience-building parent-child relationships also have the potential to build resilience to mitigate ACEs.

Maternal Stress and Infant Feeding in Hispanic Families Experiencing Poverty

ObjectivesMaternal stress has been associated with early child obesity through pathways related to decreased exclusive breastfeeding and increased nonresponsive maternal-infant feeding styles. We sought to gain an in-depth understanding of how maternal stress, sadness, and isolation are perceived to affect feeding, in order to inform modifiable targets of intervention. MethodsWe conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with Hispanic mothers living in poverty with young infants between 3 and 7 months old (n = 32) from the intervention group of a randomized controlled trial of an early child obesity prevention intervention (Starting Early Program). Bilingual English-Spanish interviewers conducted the interviews, which were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated. Building on an existing theoretical framework developed by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, we used an iterative process of textual analysis to code the transcripts, until thematic saturation was reached. ResultsThree key themes were described: 1) maternal stress responses were varied and included positive (brief and mild), tolerable (sustained but limited long-term impacts), or toxic stress (sustained and severe); 2) buffers included support from family, infants, health care providers, social service programs, and community organizations; 3) perceived effects on infant feeding included decreased breastfeeding due to concerns about stress passing directly through breast milk and indirectly through physical closeness, and increased nonresponsive feeding styles. ConclusionsMaternal stress, particularly toxic stress, was perceived to negatively affect infant feeding. Mothers reported disrupting healthy feeding to avoid infant exposure to stress. Interventions to enhance buffering may help to mitigate toxic stress and promote healthy feeding interactions.

Teachers’ readiness to use ICT in the conditions of inclusive education

This article focuses on the formation of future pre-school teachers’ readiness to use the information and communication technologies (ICT) in the conditions of inclusive education and their training at universities. Authors justify the necessary of formation students’ capability in modern ICT area. In the article, using of the ICT in the conditions of inclusive education for the eldest pre-school children is identified based on the theoretical analysis of scientific literature. The article shows survey results about identifying the main reasons of the obstacles of implemention ICTs in the educational process of pre-school organizations in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The structural and content model “Formation students’ professional competence of ICT using in inclusive environment” was presented. This article was written under project number АР0805340 “The development of a computer-educational program “Аlemdy Tanu” for the adaptation of pre-school children to school in the conditions of inclusive education” supported by National Scientific Council.

Assessing the Toxic Levels in Parenting Behavior and Coping Strategies Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Assessing the Toxic Levels in Parenting Behavior and Coping Strategies Implemented During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Developing a Screening Tool for Young Children Using an Ecological Framework.

Young children from impoverished backgrounds experience high levels of family and environmental stress, adversely impacting developmental functioning. Early identification provides a pathway to solutions, but many children are never assessed. In addition, the child-serving workforce lacks resources and expertise to use traditional measures. Furthermore, existing measures do not account for the substantial influence of a child's ecology. To bridge these gaps, we developed the Neurodevelopmental Ecological Screening Tool (NEST) and conducted a pilot study (n=60) to test its feasibility for use with caregivers of children ages 3-5 in low-resource settings. We developed an item pool across three domains (child, caregiver, environment), vetted it with experts, and conducted cognitive interviewing with parents (n=15) and case managers (n-10). Simultaneously, we built an online, user-friendly delivery platform. We used a one parameter Item Response Model and a Rasch-based Rating Scale Model (RSM) and fit confirmatory factor analytic (CFA) models to test for unidimensional and construct validity. The results support the feasibility of screening children from low SES populations within low-resource settings using an ecological perspective and supports the work of child-serving paraprofessionals in identifying and addressing risks in the lives of young children.

Evaluation of child development: beyond the neuromotor aspect

ObjectiveTo review the epidemiology and update the scientific knowledge on the problems of development and behavior in childhood, and the recommendations for the role of the pediatrician in identifying and managing delays and disturbances in child development and mental health. SourcesA search for relevant literature was performed in the PubMed and Scopus databases and publications of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Summary of the findingsWith the decline in the incidence of communicable diseases in children, problems with development, behavior, and emotional regulation are increasingly becoming a part of the work of pediatricians, yet many are not trained and feel uncomfortable about this extension of their role. The available screening tools for child development and behavior are reviewed, and a “school readiness” checklist is presented, together with recommendations on how the pediatrician can incorporate developmental surveillance into routine practice, aware of the need for children to acquire social, emotional, and cognitive skills so that they can develop their full potential. ConclusionsThe pediatrician's role in the future will include both physical and mental health, recognizing that social development, resilience, and emotional maturity are as important as physical growth and neuromotor skills in a child's life course.

Evaluation of child development: beyond the neuromotor aspect

ObjectiveTo review the epidemiology and update the scientific knowledge on the problems of development and behavior in childhood, and the recommendations for the role of the pediatrician in identifying and managing delays and disturbances in child development and mental health. SourcesA search for relevant literature was performed in the PubMed and Scopus databases and publications of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. Summary of the findingsWith the decline in the incidence of communicable diseases in children, problems with development, behavior, and emotional regulation are increasingly becoming a part of the work of pediatricians, yet many are not trained and feel uncomfortable about this extension of their role. The available screening tools for child development and behavior are reviewed, and a ‘school readiness’ checklist is presented, together with recommendations on how the pediatrician can incorporate developmental surveillance into routine practice, aware of the need for children to acquire social, emotional, and cognitive skills so that they can develop their full potential. ConclusionsThe pediatrician's role in the future will include both physical and mental health, recognizing that social development, resilience, and emotional maturity are as important as physical growth and neuromotor skills in a child's life course.

Map of Scientific Publication in the field of Educational Sciences and Teacher Education in Turkey: A Bibliometric Study

Many countries make policies to achieve and support sustainable economic growth. The existence of countries on international platforms depends whether they can transform the scientific knowledge into technological developments. In addition, as the developed countries and economies become the source knowledge export, less developed countries depend more on them. It is necessary for both less developed and developing countries to systematically analyses their science policies, and guided by these policies they should make future plans, set goal and attain their goals. Bibliometric indicators first took place in Science Indicator Report of National Science Foundation in 1973 and since then they are being used in countries' science policies reports. These reports form the starting point of analyzing structure of science policies quantitatively (Karasozen, 2009). Quantitative analysis of science policies by bibliometric methods makes it possible to compare developments in areas of expertise in accordance with the world standards or to compare national institutions with each other (Zan, 2013).Turkey, as a slowly progressing country in terms of science and technology, needs bibliometric research in order to direct her main goals such as following changes in the knowledge, setting aims in accordance with the economy of developed countries and improving the quality of lab our force. The use of bibliometric in reviewing scientific articles in Turkey is at its early stage. Bibliometric is a method that uses mathematical and statistical methods to assess and analyses scientific publications and plays an important role in guiding science and technology policies (Zan, 2013).BibliometricThe qualitative and quantitative analysis of scientific publications, particularly articles, is important for revealing the change in scientific fields. Bibliometric can be defined as the 'mathematical and statistical methods employed in the analysis of scientific communication tools such as journals and books'. It aims to reveal the change, development and characteristic features of a field (Diodato, 1994). The first studies in the bibliometric started before 1920s and but the term was first employed by Pritchard (1969) who defined it as application of statistical and mathematical methods to publications. Thus the term is replaced with statistical bibliography (Forsman, 2008).The statistical analysis of different aspects of scientific publications (for instance; such as author, theme, and citations) forms the basis of bibliometric studies. Bibliometric analysis can be in the form of citation analysis in order to describe and define the number of publications in a given year or to find out how a publication affected the subsequent studies (McBurney & Novak, 2002).Reports prepared by institutes or scientific institutions are frequently seen in the literatures and these reports are based on bibliometric research with the aim of determining the scientific development of countries. The first report using the bibliometric is the US National Scientific Council report (Aksnes, 2006). Such reports show the status of science in a country, its existing scientific systems, research approaches, and the scientific performances of researchers (Van der Meulen, 1997). These findings play an important role in determining the scientific development of the country/field and in academic promotions. For instance, today's universities place importance not only on publications in academic promotion but also pay particular attention to the bibliometric data such as citations. Bibliometric studies basically include statistical analysis of publications and make it possible to present the general structure of a field (Egghe & Rousseau, 1990; Wallace, 1989).As the importance scientific studies, which form the basis of economic development and competition in the global world, increases, and the area of use of bibliometric studies are also expanding rapidly. …

Стратегические направления модернизации педагогического образования в условиях инновационного развития

The article proposes identification of the most likely ways
 of institutional changes in the system of pedagogical education in
 the conditions of innovation, taking into account global socioeconomic
 and socio-cultural trends that define the essential aspects
 of training future teachers. It analyzes international trends of modernization
 of education, which largely determine the directions of
 pedagogical education development. The problems of values change
 in modern education are discussed. The materials are prepared
 within the framework of the project «Promising models of development
 of pedagogical education in the Republic of Kazakhstan in
 the conditions of realization of «Kazakhstan – 2050 » Strategy
 approved by the decision of National scientific council of the
 Ministry of education and science of the Republic of Kazakhstan
 «Intellectual potential of the country».

Excessive stress disrupts the development of brain architecture

Purpose – Drawing on the scientific literature, the purpose of this paper is to elucidate the harmful effects of toxic stress on the developing brain. It explains how severe, chronic adversity during development, in the absence of responsive caregiving, can impair brain architecture. It also outlines policy implications for preventing or mitigating the effects of toxic stress in early childhood. Design/methodology/approach – The National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, based at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, is a multidisciplinary, multiuniversity panel of scholars that seeks to bring science to bear on public decision making. Council members selected excessive stress as a topic meriting translation for a general audience and conducted extensive peer review in drafting the paper's key scientific concepts. Findings – The paper discusses how healthy development can be derailed by excessive or prolonged activation of the biological stress response systems and how that increases lifetime risk for certain behavioural and physiological disorders. It finds that supportive relationships with caregivers can help buffer the negative consequences of toxic stress. Social implications – The paper calls for improvements to family support programmes, mental health services, and the quality and availability of early care and education. Originality/value – This paper describes an original taxonomy of positive, tolerable, and toxic stress and demonstrates the need to translate scientific knowledge about the developing brain into actionable strategies for the prevention and treatment of the effects of adverse childhood experiences.

Position Statement on Early Childhood Development

The first 3 to 5 years of life is a time of rapid growth and development, including brain growth and foundational social-emotional development. Early childhood development (ECD) is affected by both positive and negative experiences that have lifelong impact on a child's health and social outcomes. Early childhood refers to birth to age 5. Social relationships with parents and others form a foundation for future relationship success. As detailed in the classic report “From Neurons to Neighborhoods,” early childhood brain development, with dramatic changes in size and complexity, makes this an important period to positively influence a child's development through interaction and intervention (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2000; National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2007).

Health-related quality of life associated with treatment adherence in patients with hypertension: A cross-sectional study

survival in patients with HCC in two independent cohorts, and the mechanism was associated with low VEGFR-1 expression levels in HCC. Grant support: This research was supported by grants from the National Scientific Council (NSC 100-2314-B-075-051, NSC 101-2321-B075-004) and Taipei Veterans General Hospital (V101B-005, V102E2005 and V102E2-006) to YF Hu, (NSC99-3112-B-010-005-CC1, NSC1002627-B-010-005, and NSC101-2325-B-010-011) to CY Huang, Taipei Veterans General Hospital (V101E2-002 and VGHUST101-G5-1-2), Center of Excellence for Cancer Research at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (DOH100-TD-C-111-007), National Taiwan Normal University (100NTNU-D-06), and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (100-EC-17-A17-S1-152) to CY Huang.

Prenatal Care Visits and Associated Costs for Treatment-Seeking Women With Depressive Disorders

This study aimed to determine whether a history of depressive disorders is associated with use and costs of prenatal care among pregnant women in Taiwan. Participants were mothers with singleton births between 2004 and 2006 (N=23,290), some of whom (N=614) had received care for depression in the year before conception but not during pregnancy. The mean number of prenatal care visits was 8.50 and associated costs were $NT 51,187 for pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders and 9.17 visits and $NT 27,998, respectively, for those without such a history. After adjustment for age, monthly income, medical conditions, and obstetric complications, mothers with a history of depression were significantly less likely to receive prenatal care (relative risk=.94, 95% confidence interval=.92-.97, p<.001). However, women with a history of depression had $NT 22,494 higher prenatal care costs than mothers without a history of depression. Pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders had fewer prenatal care visits but higher prenatal care costs. Physicians should consider screening to identify pregnant women with a history of depressive disorders.

Prenatal Care Visits and Associated Costs for Treatment-Seeking Women With Depressive Disorders

Prenatal Care Visits and Associated Costs for Treatment-Seeking Women With Depressive Disorders

Hospital Readmission and Its Correlates Among Psychiatric Patients in Taiwan

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article LetterFull AccessLetterChih-Ming Lin Ph.D.Chung-Yi Li Ph.D.Chih-Ming Lin Ph.D.Search for more papers by this authorChung-Yi Li Ph.D.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:1 Sep 2008https://doi.org/10.1176/ps.2008.59.9.1064AboutSectionsPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail Hospital Readmission and Its Correlates Among Psychiatric Patients in TaiwanTo the Editor: A high readmission rate among persons discharged from inpatient psychiatric treatment may reflect the fact that the community lacks adequate accommodations for such patients and can be used as an indicator of inadequacy or inappropriateness of community-based aftercare ( 1 ). A wide range of psychiatric readmission rates has been reported in the literature, mainly because studies use various time intervals. Reported rates have ranged from 10% readmission within one month after hospital discharge to as high as 47% within one year ( 2 , 3 ). Data on readmission of psychiatric patients in Asian societies are limited. We used a registry-based cohort design to estimate the short-term readmission rate—within 60 days—among 1,813 patients discharged from a psychiatric hospital between November 2003 and October 2005 in northwestern Taiwan.Readmission rates were 6% within 14 days, 9% within 30 days, and 12% within 60 days. Patients who received the scheduled ambulatory follow-up had a significantly higher risk of readmission within 60 days, after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.33–2.69), and those who attended community rehabilitation programs were significantly less likely to be readmitted (AOR=.33, CI=.12–.96). Less impaired patients may be more likely to be referred to rehabilitation programs, which may partly explain the lower readmission rate.Among patients with schizophrenia, those who had a hospital stay longer than 60 days had significantly increased risk of readmission within 14 days (AOR=1.96, CI=1.06–3.62) and within 30 days (AOR=1.81, CI=1.07–3.09) compared with those whose duration of stay was between 30 and 60 days. Patients who are more impaired may need to stay longer in the hospital, and more impaired patients may be at an increased risk of rehospitalization. Similar to findings from studies in Western societies, our results indicate that about one-tenth of psychiatric patients in Taiwan were readmitted within one month after discharge ( 4 ). The readmission rate increased only slightly (by 3%) by two months after discharge. Our study also showed a positive association between attending a follow-up ambulatory care visit and readmission, which is consistent with the report by Thompson and colleagues ( 5 ), which concluded that patients who attended an initial ambulatory care visit after discharge were likely to seek outpatient care on a regular basis. These patients may either have a poor prognosis or frequent contact with psychiatrists; the closer supervision associated with aftercare may lead to a greater likelihood of rehospitalization. Although the readmission rate was not substantially high in Taiwan, local clinicians and health policy makers should nevertheless acknowledge the importance of rehospitalization among psychiatric patients. Future investigations should explore specific forms of aftercare and types of services that can ensure that discharged psychiatric patients remain in the community. Moreover, better management of patients with schizophrenia who have longer hospital stays may help to reduce the likelihood of readmission in the first month after discharge.Acknowledgments and disclosuresThis study was supported by grant NSC-96-2314-B-130-002 from the National Scientific Council of Taiwan.The authors report no competing interests.Dr. Lin is affiliated with the Department of Healthcare Information and Management, Ming Chuan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Dr. Li is with the Department of Health Care Management, National Taipei College of Nursing.

Supporting the Social Competency of Young Children in Early Childhood Music

The foundation of social competency is developed within the first five years of child's life, affecting her later ability to function in school and form successful relationships (National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, 2005). The socially competent, or prosocial young child is capable of engaging in satisfying interactions with adults and peers, and is able to manage her emotions and behaviors, all of which lead to positive social outcomes (Berger, 2003; Fuller, 2001; McClellan &amp; Katz, 2001;Webster-Stratton &amp; Reid, 2004). When given opportunities to strengthen social competence in early childhood, young children benefit by being able to adapt more easily to social and emotional situations. As this occurs, cognitive development and academic success are enhanced (Kinsey, 2000; Rogoff, 1990).

A Promising Opportunity for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the Interface of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Social Policy: Remarks on Receiving the 2005 C. Anderson Aldrich Award

I am deeply grateful to the American Academy of Pediatrics for this wonderful award and truly humbled by the distinguished list of previous recipients. I view this recognition less as a personal accolade and more as an opportunity to reflect on how the evolution of my own career might contribute to the ongoing process of defining both the science and the practice of pediatrics. Twenty years ago, I was the director of a division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics in a university hospital. Ten years ago, I changed my work address but not my core interests and accepted a position as dean of a graduate school for social policy and management. Five years ago, I participated in a press conference at the National Academy of Sciences to announce the release of a new report from the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council entitled, From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. 1 And, 3 years later, I had the pleasure of joining 11 distinguished neuroscientists, developmental psychologists, economists, and communications researchers to launch the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The mission of the National Scientific Council is to build informed, bipartisan leadership in both the public and the private sectors to close the gap between what we know and what we do to create a strong foundation for successful learning, adaptive behavior, and sound physical and mental health beginning in the earliest years of life. Central to this concept is the ongoing generation, analysis, and integration of established knowledge and the critical task of educating policy-makers, business executives, and civic leaders about the rapidly growing science of early childhood development and its underlying neurobiology. My personal commitment to this effort is deeply grounded in a recognition that the promotion of healthy development requires far more … Address correspondence to Jack P. Shonkoff, MD, FAAP, Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, 50 Church St, 4th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. E-mail: jack_shonkoff{at}harvard.edu

Anticaries effectiveness of fluoride toothpaste: a meta-analysis

To carry out a meta-analysis on the effectiveness of fluoride toothpaste for reducing dental caries to calculate the effect size of different hypothesis. MEDLINE and LILACS databases were studied in the period from 1980 to 1998. To evaluate the quality of the studies, methodological rigor criteria proposed by Kay & Locker (1996) were applied after the criteria were submitted to an expert committee of CNPq (National Scientific Council of Brazil) senior researchers. Of 43 papers selected, 22 met the proposed criteria. The effect size of intervention was calculated from differences among the groups and the overall effect of five groups of hypothesis. The high concentration of fluoride in the toothpaste is associated with a larger effect (overall effect = -0.17 CI 95% -0.22/-0.12). The largest caries reductions were observed when comparing fluoride toothpastes and no fluoride toothpastes (overall effect = -0.29 IC 95% -0.34/-0.24). The addiction of antimicrobial agents (overall effect = -0.03 IC 95% -0.07/+0.02), differences in abrasive systems (overall effect = -0.02 IC 95% -0.09/+0.04) and active components do not increase the effectiveness of fluoride toothpastes (overall effect = -0.04 IC 95% -0.10/+0.01). The highest caries reductions were seen in studies where there was supervised tooth brushing. This review reinforced the importance of tooth brushing with fluoride toothpastes for controlling dental caries. However it showed the emphasis put on medical approaches for disease control rather than specific educational actions. The heterogeneity of the results shows the need to consider issues such as the scenario for implementing preventive methods in the evaluation process.